Boarding school - good idea or bad idea?

[d000hg]

And I disagree that "most parents" would automatically take the child's side. Most of the parents that might be so inclined are unlikely to want to put their cans of Special Brew down long enough to want to traipse up to the school. It might mean them missing the best parts of Jeremy Kyle.

I think middle-class parents are just as bad as chav parents - in fact more so since they take an interest and are convinced their child is 'gifted' but not being nurtured correctly when they aren't recognised as a prodigy.
Parents who take an interest are both a blessing and a curse A bit like when one of your users says "I did a bit of coding macros in Word, I think your database could be improved..."

[Mich the Tester]

I think middle-class parents are just as bad as chav parents - in fact more so since they take an interest and are convinced their child is 'gifted' but not being nurtured correctly when they aren't recognised as a prodigy.
Parents who take an interest are both a blessing and a curse A bit like when one of your users says "I did a bit of coding macros in Word, I think your database could be improved..."

Some of them, yes, especially when they use their kids as accessories for social climbing. You only have to read the utterly nauseating 'round robin' letters we recieve each year at christmas. 'Young Hamish is off to Radley having passed his Common Entrance Examinations with flying colours! He'll be starting on 14 GCSEs so he'll have to work ever so hard; he says he wants to be a merchant banker when he leaves school, so he'll need good grades! Ollie's finished at Radley and he's off to California to achieve his dreams in filmmaking! Apparently the film's something to do with 'Fluffy' or 'Fluffington Bear'; obviously a childrens film and I'm sooooo looking forward to being invited to the premiere!'

Sometimes I feel like screwing those round robin letters up into a ball, going round to people's houses and then kicking them right up the place where all the other tulip comes out. But then, that would be violent and people might get the impression I have 'unresolved issues'.

[OwlHoot]

.. people might get the impression I have 'unresolved issues'.

That's the impression I have, TBO

[Mich the Tester]

That's the impression I have, TBO

Yes, but you're probably smaller than me, so there.

[sasguru]

Yes, after all he's a Microsoft Certified Notepad Specialist.

Coming from a poly boy tester, that's a bit rich.

[Mich the Tester]

Coming from a poly boy tester, that's a bit rich.

I'll have you know that when I was 13 I was considered 'gifted' and a child prodigy in mathematics and the sciences, and was already proficient in programming in BASIC. After 5 years of public school I considered myself lucky to get into Leicester Poly.

[EternalOptimist]

I think middle-class parents are just as bad as chav parents -

we covered that ^

for some, boarding is just a more expensive form of child neglect

[psychocandy]

Hang on, you play rugger don't you?

Calling it rugger = owning up to liking it up the tulipter....

[psychocandy]

I'll have you know that when I was 13 I was considered 'gifted' and a child prodigy in mathematics and the sciences, and was already proficient in programming in BASIC. After 5 years of public school I considered myself lucky to get into Leicester Poly.

**** all wrong with leicester poly. I went there !

[DodgyAgent]

I think middle-class parents are just as bad as chav parents - in fact more so since they take an interest and are convinced their child is 'gifted' but not being nurtured correctly when they aren't recognised as a prodigy.
Parents who take an interest are both a blessing and a curse A bit like when one of your users says "I did a bit of coding macros in Word, I think your database could be improved..."

B***ocks. You read too many newspapers who will only ever report extremes of behaviour. they are hardly like to feature a headline saying:

"Shock horror middle class parents are reasonable in expectations of children"